News

Media Releases

For all media inquiries, please contact Mark Phillips at media@imcl.org.au or 0455 203 258.

Public housing towers class action judgement Published on Friday 04, April 2025 Lawyers acting on behalf of the public housing towers residents and lead plaintiff Barry Berih will review today’s Supreme Court judgement before deciding if it should be appealed.

Capsicum spray and excessive force class action trial commences today Published on Monday 17, February 2025 In a first of its kind class action, the trial against the Victoria Government regarding Victoria Police’s use of excessive force against protestors at the 2019 International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) commenced in Melbourne this morning.

Public housing residents face further uncertainty with class action adjourned Published on Wednesday 30, October 2024 The community legal centres have heard from public housing residents across Melbourne who are concerned they must wait for clarity about Home Victoria’s proposed demolition of their homes and how it will affect them after the class action trial was adjourned yesterday.

Use of Police Force at Protest Must Be Independently Investigated Published on Thursday 12, September 2024 The Police Accountability Project at Inner Melbourne Community Legal calls for a ban on dangerous police weapons at protest and renews their call for the creation of a police ombudsman to independently investigate and oversee police conduct.

Public Housing Class Action to Proceed to Trial Published on Thursday 18, July 2024 The Supreme Court of Victoria has issued orders for the historic public housing class action to proceed to trial in October. The Court will consider whether Homes Victoria made the decision to demolish the towers properly and with appropriate consideration for human rights.  

Public housing residents to continue the fight to save their homes Published on Friday 03, May 2024 The fight to save public housing from demolition is set to continue after the Supreme Court of Victoria gave residents the opportunity to seek another judicial review of the government’s decision today.

Victorian Government will attempt to throw out public housing class action Published on Monday 22, April 2024 The Victorian Government’s application to have the public housing class action thrown out of the Supreme Court will be heard tomorrow.

Class action filed against the Victorian Government Published on Thursday 25, January 2024 Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL) has filed a class action against the Victorian Government to protect the human rights of public housing residents, who have been told their homes will be demolished as part of Victoria’s Housing Statement.

IMCL project finds further evidence that police should not act as first responders in mental health crisis Published on Thursday 23, November 2023 Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL) has released its findings from a three-year project that investigated the best way to deliver legal support to people experiencing a mental health crisis or psycho-social distress.

Yoorrook Justice Commission recommends a new independent police oversight authority Published on Monday 04, September 2023 The Police Accountability Project (PAP) supports the Yoorrook Justice Commission's recommendation for urgent reforms to the criminal justice system, including a new adequately resourced independent police oversight authority. Victoria needs a #PoliceOmbudsmanNow.

The Yoorrook Justice Commission recommends a new independent police oversight authority Published on Monday 04, September 2023 The Police Accountability Project (PAP) supports the Yoorrook Justice Commission's recommendation for urgent reforms to the criminal justice system, including a new adequately resourced independent police oversight authority. Victoria needs a #PoliceOmbudsmanNow.

Calls for Victorian Government to reverse its decision to replace public housing across the state Published on Wednesday 20, September 2023 IMCL is calling on the Victorian Government to reverse its decision to have all public housing towers torn down by 2051. The replacement of these estates with private and social housing will not solve the housing crisis in this community, which is one comprised of vulnerable or marginalised people.

Victorian Government should withdraw COVID-19 fines Published on Tuesday 29, November 2022 Inner Melbourne Community Legal and YouthLaw have called on the Victorian Government to withdraw more than 30,000 outstanding COVID-19 fines issued in Victoria during the pandemic.

Victoria Police Engaged in Racial Profiling During the Covid-19 Pandemic Published on Tuesday 27, June 2023 Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL) has called on the Victorian Government to waive all COVID-19 fines after its groundbreaking study revealed that Victoria Police engaged in racial profiling when it issued infringement notices during the first year of the COVID pandemic.

The Victorian Government must apologise to public housing residents Published on Thursday 29, September 2022 Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL) supports the Victorian Ombudsman’s renewed call for the Andrews Government to apologise for the immediate lockdown of nine public housing towers during the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020.

Capsicum spray class action filed against Victoria Police Published on Friday 02, September 2022 The Police Accountability Project at Inner Melbourne Community Legal and Phi Finney McDonald have launched a class action against the Victorian State Government over the actions of Victoria Police.

Say sorry and never let the hard lockdown happen again Published on Friday 02, July 2021 Public housing residents continue to be fearful one year on that the hard lockdown could happen again: Human rights and community lawyers urgently seek legal changes to protect against overreach of public safety powers

Response to Victorian Ombudsman's Scathing Report into the Public Housing Hard Lockdown Published on Thursday 17, December 2020 IMCL's response to the Victorian Ombudsman's report into the detention and treatment of public housing residents arising from the COVID-19 hard lockdown in July 2020.

Message to our community Published on Friday 17, July 2020 Message to our community regarding the public housing towers hard lockdown

No justification for paternalistic police presence on public housing estates Published on Sunday 12, July 2020 The continued police presence at the public housing tower block at 33 Alfred Street, North Melbourne, and the assembly of a wire fence 'exercise yard' are disproportionate, paternalistic and enforcement-first responses to a health issue which take away the residents' dignity and agency.

Community lawyers call for residents to have access to emergency leave Published on Wednesday 08, July 2020 Community lawyers are calling for public housing residents to have access to emergency leave, with reports that some public housing residents have been prevented from leaving in the event of a medical or other emergency, despite an exemption under the lockdown act permitting such leave.

Public Housing Hard Lockdowns Published on Sunday 05, July 2020 IMCL is extremely alarmed at the unprecedented impact on the liberty of public housing residents in our area.

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